Toko Shengelia: My true dream is to win the Final Four

Toko Shengelia spoke to Sportal before Virtus Bologna’s game on the court of Olympiacos.

On his team’s excellent season so far:

“We are competitive players and every time a season starts we expect the best. I think we are playing very good basketball this year both individually and as a team, but we still have many games to understand if we are really a team that can contend for the Final 4. It’s tough, but what I like most about this team is that we always fight to win.”

Is the Final Four a dream?

“I have already been there during my career, the real dream is to win them…. Any player will tell you that once you get to that point, why not go for it? It may be a ‘cliché,’ but it’s my dream.”

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Why didn’t he try to return to the NBA after his experiences with the Nets and Bulls?

“To be honest, I had many opportunities after my first years with Baskonia. I grew as a player, I matured, and opportunities came to me to return to the NBA almost every summer. But when I looked at the rosters of interested teams, I didn’t see much room for me. And leaving what I was building here in Europe and going into a dubious situation where I wouldn’t know if I was going to play or not, I didn’t find that viable. I chose this path and I am happy with it.”

The Georgian forward also confirmed his presence on the court tonight, and he preferred to avoid commenting on the negotiations with Panathinaikos last summer.

“I prefer to leave the past in the past, now I am only focused on Virtus and the next game.”